Course BA 4335 5U1 10U Marketing Research

Professor Vigneswar Chockalingam (Vignesh)

Term Summer 2010
Meetings Wednesdays 6:00 PM to 10 PM SOM 2.904

Professor’s Contact Information

Office Phone 972-883-4422
Other Phone 469-212-4895
Office Location SOM 2.904
Email Address vxc054000@utdallas.edu
Office Hours Wednesdays 5 PM – 6 PM, or by appointment
I don’t usually check WebCT/elearning mail, please use my UTD email
Other Information address to send emails.

General Course Information

Pre-requisites, Co- BA 3365 and STAT 3360 or BA 3360 (3-0) Y
requisites, & other
restrictions
Course Description This course provides an overview of the entire marketing research process
which involves collecting and analyzing data to facilitate better marketing
decisions. Specific topics include problem definition, research design, use
of secondary data, collecting primary data, designing surveys, sampling,
fieldwork, basic data analysis, and reporting of findings. Students are
expected to know basic marketing and have an aptitude for quantitative
analysis. Students will be required to conduct a survey/collect
data/analyze and present findings as part of a group project. The key
learning objectives are achieved via 4 methods:
1. Learning through lectures and discussions.
2. Learning by doing – Developing a survey to analyze a marketing
research problem
3. Learning through homework and case analyses.
4. Learning through online and electronic media.
Learning Outcomes Understand the market research process and identify the various
steps involved in designing a research study.
Understand the basics of survey-based research and other
qualitative research methods and be able to develop a
questionnaire to solve a given marketing research problem
Learn preliminary analytics to solve marketing research problems
using Excel.
Required Texts & Modern Marketing Research: Concepts, Methods, and Cases, Fred M.
Materials Feinberg, Thomas C. Kinnear, and James R. Taylor, Thompson, 2008.
Price: $98.56
Suggested Texts, Relevant articles and reports will be posted on course website for
Readings, & additional reading.
Materials
Assignments & Academic Calendar
[Topics, Reading Assignments, Due Dates, Exam Dates]
Week Date Topic Book Assignments/
Number Chapters/ Deadlines
Readings
1 May 26 Introduction and Course Overview, 1,2
Marketing Research Process
Marketing Research Industry
Group Project Outline
Form Groups (4-6 members each)
2 Jun 2 Sources of Secondary Data 3
Data types and measurement 4
3 Jun 9 Qualitative Research Methods 6 GROUP PROJECT
PROPOSAL DUE
Group Project Discussions
4 Jun 16 Survey Design 7
Invited Speaker Series
5 Jun 23 Sampling 8 HOMEWORK 1 DUE
Group Project Survey Pretest.
6 Jun 30 MIDTERM EXAM
Group Project Survey Review (in class)
7 Jul 7 Basic Data Analysis, Descriptive Statistics 9
and Cross Tabs
Hypothesis Testing
8 Jul 14 Developing Excel-based reports
Invited Speaker Series
9 Jul 21 Factor Analysis / Cluster Analysis 11
In Class Group Project Analysis
10 Jul 28 GROUP PROJECT PRESENTATIONS HOMEWORK 2 DUE

11 Aug 4 FINAL EXAM

Course Policies
Class Participation 10%
Grading (credit) Final Exam 40%
Criteria Homework (individual activity) 15%
Group Project (Group Work) 35%
There will be 2 homework assignments due during the semester. Assignments will
focus on applying concepts learned in the lectures. No group work is allowed on the
Homework homework. You are expected to work individually and seek instructor’s guidance, if
necessary, in solving them. University policies regarding plagiarism will be strictly
enforced while evaluating the homework submissions.
Class participation grade is subjective and will be based on
1. Preparation for the class: whether the student has read the case, understands
Class
the issues and concepts involved, etc.
Participation
2. Participation: whether the student participates in the discussion and
contributes to the analysis
 3. Attendance
Each group should consist of 4-6 students.
The group project has two objectives.
* First, it will help you to gain hands-on experience in applying what you learn in
class to a realistic marketing research situation by developing a survey.
* Second, it will give you experience working as part of a team. Briefly, the project
will consist of identifying a research problem and designing a questionnaire and
collecting data and reporting research findings. Guidance on group projects will be
given throughout the semester via regular in-class discussions with your group
members.

You can change your group membership until one week after the submission of your
group project proposal, as long as you reach consent with your old and new groups
and no more than six students in any group. After the deadline, any group break-up
will result one point of total grade deduction for all members in that group.

Proposal:
The proposal should include a thorough analysis of 1) the problem that you intend to
study and 2) how you intend to collect the data and 3) briefly explain what your
research output will be at the end of the semester.

Group Project Project Presentation:

Each group will also be required to give a formal presentation (approx. 15-20
minutes). After each presentation the class will ask questions or make comments, and
then give an evaluation. Every member of the group is required to present.

Written Report:
Upon completion of this project your group will be required to submit a research
report (approximately 10-20 pages with tables and figures) summarizing the problem
you have identified and the questionnaire your group has developed to address and
solve this problem along with findings from your data analysis.

Peer Evaluation:
Each group member will have an opportunity to give the evaluations of the
participation of other group member at the end of the project. All members of the
group typically receive the same grade for group project. However, in the case of
"free-riding" by some group members this policy will be relaxed.

Bonus Points:
Students are encouraged to not only attend the class sessions but also actively
participate in the discussions in class. Based on my judgment, up to 5 bonus points
can be given to students with outstanding performance in class participation.
Content:
Why is the research problem interesting?
How did you design your survey?
How valid are your data collection and analysis methods to address the MR
Evaluation of problem?
Project Presentation:
Presentation Was the presentation interesting? engaging?
Confidence of the speakers - relaxed.
Clarity of the talk - speed, loudness.
Were the visuals presented clearly?
Was a clear conclusion provided?
Make-up Exams There will be no make-up exams.
Extra Credit There is no provision for extra credit.
 Late work will not be allowed unless adequate verifiable reason is provided and
Late Work
permission is obtained from instructor
Special
None
Assignments
Class Attendance will be taken in each class. A 90% attendance rate is expected in
Class Attendance
this course.
A successful course requires expectations to be satisfied on both sides. You can
expect that I will select relevant materials and present them effectively in class. I will
foster a supportive environment in the classroom. I will be available at designated
times to answer questions. I will provide feedback on your performance in the course
Classroom both formally and informally.
Citizenship
I expect that you will prepare carefully each case and will be ready to participate in
all class discussions. I expect that you will come to me if you have any difficulty with
the material, or if you have suggestions to improve the quality of the course

Field Trip
No field trips are planned for this course
Policies

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and
regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the
responsibility of each student and each student organization to be knowledgeable
about the rules and regulations which govern student conduct and activities. General
information on student conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A
to Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students each academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the

procedures of recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and
described in the Rules and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas
Student Conduct
System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
and Discipline
Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these
rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students,
where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of
citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the
Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject
to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place
on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such
conduct.

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic
honesty. Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute
integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student
demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions
Academic
related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission
Integrity
as one’s own work or material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic
dishonesty involves one of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or
falsifying academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject
to disciplinary proceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and
from any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s
 policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This course will use the
resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over
90% effective.
The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of
communication between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the
same time, email raises some issues concerning security and the identity of each
individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all official student email
correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty
and staff consider email from students official only if it originates from a UTD
Email Use
student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in
the identity of all individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted
information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be used
in all communication with university personnel. The Department of Information
Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas
mail forwarded to other accounts.

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-
level courses. These dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog.
Withdrawal from Administration procedures must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to
Class handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other words, I cannot drop or
withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will not
receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to attend the class once you
are enrolled.

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other

fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make
a serious effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or
committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the respondent”).
Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and
Student evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be
Grievance submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of the respondent’s School Dean.
Procedures If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the respondent, the
student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not
resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the
Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene
an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final.
The results of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the
Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting
the rules and regulations.

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work
unavoidably missed at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has
Incomplete
been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from
Grades
the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the
course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline,
the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F.

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational

Disability
opportunities equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located
Services
in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30
a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30
 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable
adjustments necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For
example, it may be necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders
or animals (in the case of dog guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally an
assignment requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an
oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students
with mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The
college or university may need to provide special services such as registration, note-
taking, or mobility assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to
faculty members to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations.
Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class
or during office hours.
The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required
activities for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose
places of worship are exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code,
Texas Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as

possible regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student,
so excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a
reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a
maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any
Religious Holy missed exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails
Days to complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a
failing grade for that exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the
purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about
whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed
assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling
from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief
executive officer or designee must take into account the legislative intent of TEC
51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief
executive officer or designee.
Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law
Off-Campus and University policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities.
Instruction and Information regarding these rules and regulations may be found at
Course Activities http://www.utdallas.edu/BusinessAffairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm.
Additional information is available from the office of the school dean.

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.